Chicken Curry
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Whip up a one-skillet chicken curry, brimming with vibrant peas and rich flavors, all in just 30 minutes—a weeknight winner!
If you’re looking to shake up your weeknight dinner routine, this chicken curry is a great place to start. It’s made with thinly sliced chicken breasts that are quickly sautéed, then simmered in a rich, flavorful curry sauce. A handful of frozen peas goes in at the end for a pop of color and a little extra goodness. Best of all, this one-skillet meal comes together in just 30 minutes—perfect for busy nights when you have to hit the kitchen running.
Keep in mind, the flavor and heat level will vary depending on the curry powder you use. I use McCormick, which is easy to find in most supermarkets and makes a mild, kid-friendly curry. Feel free to use your favorite brand—just taste and adjust as needed. Serve the chicken curry with fluffy basmati rice or naan for a weeknight meal everyone will love.
“Delicious. My 5 year old told me ‘Never forget this recipe!’”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Curry
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Lean and quick-cooking, they soak up the curry flavors beautifully and stay tender when cooked properly.
- Curry powder – A blend of spices including turmeric, cumin, coriander, and others that gives the curry its distinctive warm, aromatic flavor.
- Onion, garlic, and ginger – The trio that forms the flavorful base of the dish, adding savory depth, a little sweetness, and a gentle kick.
- Chicken broth and cornstarch – The broth gives the sauce its savory backbone, while the cornstarch thickens it into a smooth, silky curry.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Adds creaminess and a subtle tang that balances the spices and gives the sauce a rich finish. I recommend using yogurt with at least 2% fat—it adds more depth and body to the sauce. If you’re ever out of yogurt, sour cream makes a good substitute.
- Frozen peas – Stirred in at the end, they bring a pop of color and a touch of natural sweetness that rounds everything out.
- Cilantro – A handful on top just before serving adds freshness and a bright herbal note that brings the whole dish to life. Feel free to leave it out or substitute parsley if you’re not a fan.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep and season the chicken. Cut the chicken into ¼-inch slices. The easiest way is to cut each breast in half lengthwise, then slice on the diagonal. No need to be exact, but try to keep the pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Once sliced, season the chicken with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of curry powder.
Step 2: Sauté the chicken. Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet, then briefly sauté the chicken until it is lightly browned but still pink in spots. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl.
Step 3: Cook the aromatics. Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft and translucent, then add the ginger, garlic, and more curry powder and sauté until fragrant.
Step 4: Add the liquid. Whisk the chicken broth and cornstarch together to dissolve the cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the skillet along with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer until the sauce thickens up nicely, about 5 minutes.
Pro tip: Always mix cornstarch with a cold or room temperature liquid—if you add it straight to something hot, it’ll clump.
Step 5: Add the chicken and peas. Return the chicken to the pan along with the frozen peas, and simmer just until the chicken is cooked through.
Pro tip: If you want to add more veggies, feel free—just cook them separately first, then stir them in with the peas. And if you’re adding a lot, consider bumping up the sauce by about 25% to keep things nicely coated.
Step 6: Finish the dish. Add the Greek yogurt and fresh chopped cilantro and stir until combined. Serve and enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-in (6-mm) strips
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons curry powder, divided
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (see note)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
- ¼ cup plain low fat (2%) or whole Greek yogurt (do not use nonfat)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken evenly with ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon curry powder.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a 12-in (30-cm) skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned but still pink in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil to the skillet and set heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger and remaining 1½ teaspoons curry powder and cook until fragrant, about a minute more.
- Whisk the chicken broth and cornstarch together to dissolve the cornstarch, then add to the skillet along with the sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce is nicely thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the peas and partially cooked chicken to the skillet, turn the heat down to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, a few minutes. Off the heat, stir in the yogurt and cilantro; then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with basmati rice.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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YUM – although I substituted some ingredients. 2 tablespoons of flour instead of cornstarch, and 2 cups of water mixed with chicken bouillon instead of chicken broth.
Loving your blog and have tried quite a few recipes thus far with amazing results. I’m on a “Once Upon a Chef Kick”. Might even give the cheddar soda bread a try tonight as I’m defrosting some chili for dinner.
Made the chicken curry last night and it was delicious! One thing however… I noticed your instructions have us adding the sugar in two separate steps. I didn’t as I’m sure it’s an oversight. First time is along with the chicken broth and cornstarch (I added it there) and the second time is at the end. Maybe I’m missing something?
The curried roasted carrots were excellent. Wonderful flavor.
Thanks, Susan. Glad you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂 Just corrected the recipe…thanks for catching that!
I don’t want to use the Greek yogurts due to allergy reasons, would it be best to just add a little rice or soy cream instead, or would it be better with coconut milk and should I use the whole can instead of the stock or keep stock and just a little coconut milk, hope this makes sence????
Hi Sandra, I think the coconut milk will work (same amount as Greek yogurt and don’t change anything else); will change the flavor a bit but in a good way 🙂
What’s the reason not using nonfat yogurt?
Hi Fe, It needs a little richness so I prefer whole milk or low fat.
What can I substitute for the peas and corn starch?
Hi Evangeline, You can replace the peas with any cooked vegetable that you like, and the corn starch can be replaced with flour (just add it with the curry powder, as it needs to cook before the liquid is added).
Jenn, can this be made with a curry paste, the kind that come in jars at the grocery stores?
Hi Mel, It depends. What type of curry paste are you referring to?
This recipe is fantastic! I doubled it. Made with roasted curry cauliflower (just olive oil, curry, salt, and pepper 425° for 45 min) and served with naan. So good.
Doubled the recipe for a dinner party and made it in the morning. Simply reheated it on slow for twenty minutes. It was a huge hit which I will make again. Served it with your rice pilaf recipe and naan.
This was so yummy!! It was easy to make. My husband also loved it. I love curry and this has the perfect amount. Will be making again very soon!
Hi Jenn,
My brother brought me some curry from Nepal and I can’t wait to try this delicious looking recipe. I’m not a fan of cilantro though, can I omit or could you suggest a substitute?
Thanks!
Ruth
Hi Ruth, It’s totally fine to just leave it out.
Can you sub sour cream for the greek yogurt? I don’t want to go to the store for 1 item.
Hi Allison, Yes, that’s fine.